100 Paper Flowers
by Rawritz
Summary: Life was black and white for Ikuto until he found himself utterly attracted to a patient by the name of Amu Hinamori. He visits her in the hospital twice a week, helping to achieve her wish. What he didn't plan on doing was falling for her - he didn't know that he would save her. Amuto 5-shot AU.
1. Chapter 1

**:..: Chapter 1 :..:**

New years eve was the faithful day that changed it all. He recalled the experience as peacefully swimming down a river to fall down a treacherous waterfall - slow at first, then all at once. One thing for sure, he wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Kuukai took him to the town square. The whole place had been decorated. A carnival - which only came once a month - was set up around town. Food vendors, rollercoasters and bumper cars were the main attractions for the night. The locals enjoyed themselves and waited for the ball to drop to welcome the new year.

Unfortunately, Ikuto wasn't excited. Nothing seemed to faze him. His friend, through all his complaints, still managed to drag him along.

"Come on," he whined, "it's a beautiful night. Plenty of girls, loads of food. What more could you want?"

"Dunno," he said and placed his hands in his pockets. The cold was starting to bother him.

Kuukai pointed to a food stand. "Hey, do you wanna try the corn dogs?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

"Great!" He pushed his tall friend towards the stand and said, "You buy them. I'm broke."

"Wha- Fine." He joined the line and retrieved money from his wallet. When he looked up, his breath caught in his throat.

A girl with an attractive smile walked away from the front of the line, holding a hotdog. Her eyes reflected the festive lights of the carnival. She had the strangest hair, but it complimented her appearance. It went just past her shoulders in pink, straight locks. There was no doubt that she was beautiful.

It was his turn to order, so he paid for his corn dogs and returned to his friend. She was gone.

They wondered aimlessly around the town square, admiring the friendly atmosphere while devouring their fast food.

"I really want to go on the bumper cars," Kuukai said and delivered pleading eyes to Ikuto.

He sighed, unable to resist. "Yeah, sure. I'll just wait here for you."

"Thanks dude!" He flashed a smile and disappeared into the crowd.

Ikuto observed his surroundings. The amount of people exhausted him. He really preferred to be at home, sleeping. The bright lights tired him and the loud noises were too overwhelming. He felt bored until he spotted a streak of pink in the merry-go-round.

There she was again. This time her smile glistened in the moonlight. She was enjoying herself with her arms wrapped tightly around the neck of an artificial horse. Her hair flew in the wind like a web of cotton candy.

He could hear her laugh from a mile away. It was full of life but soothing to his ears. His heart pumped faster the longer he gazed at her. He wanted to talk to her.

"Ikuto!" Kuukai came back, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He glanced at the cheerful boy. "Yeah?"

"Let's go. There's some more places we haven't been."

"Wait." Ikuto looked at her again, reluctant to leave. "Do you know who she is?"

"Who?" He asked and squinted his eyes, searching through the sea of people. His friend would have to be more specific.

"The girl on the merry-go-round with pink hair," he said with hope bubbling in his stomach.

"Oh, yeah. I've seen her before." He scratched his nose. "She's coming to our highschool."

Ikuto smiled and felt relieved that he would see her again.

:..:..:..:..:

The holidays were over. School rolled around the corner. Nothing interesting happened throughout his vacation, as per usual. He only waited patiently for school to arrive so he could meet his pink-haired beauty.

He went to the first day of school; survived through classes, scouted the hallways and wondered around the school grounds at lunch but there was no sight of her. Maybe she would come the next day - but she didn't even turn up to the first week of school.

"Hey, Kuukai," he said into his phone, taking a break from piles of homework.

There was a pause. "Oh hey dude. What's up?"

"Just wanted to ask if you've seen that pink-haired girl anywhere around school yet." He bit his lip, hoping that there was a logical explanation.

"The one at the carnival? Nope. I might have been wrong, sorry."

He furrowed her eyebrows, disappointment flooding in his chest. "How did you know she was coming here in the first place?"

"I swear I saw her talking with the headmaster. It was probably for another reason now that I think about it."

"Okay. Thanks anyway. I'll see you tomorrow." He sighed and ended the call. There was nothing to do but homework. What a boring life he had.

His hopes of meeting her were gone.

:..:..:..:..:

The family rushed to dress nicely. Perfume was applied and chins were shaved. Ikuto stood in the living room, tucking in his shirt. They were going to eat at a fancy restaurant. It was a little tradition the family had every fortnight. They were wealthy, after all.

"Utau, hurry up! We're going to be late for the reservations!" Souko called out as she fixed her earrings and grabbed her keys. She wore a red knee-length dress with a black jacket to fight the cold.

"I'm coming!" Utau always took forever to find the right clothes. She tore her whole wardobe apart every time they went out for dinner.

Maybe if they took the time to slow down, it wouldn't have happened. But it was already too late.

She appeared at the top of the stairs, struggling to put her heels on. Her ankle rolled and she tripped, heavily tumbling down. One bang to the head and her body went limp. Her mother screamed, utterly shocked at the turn of events. She fell to the floor in an odd position, unconcious.

Aruto was quick to pick up the phone, his hand shaky and voice unstable. The ambulance arrived in a matter of minutes, but it still felt like a lifetime of silence with the exception of his wife sobbing.

They all sat in the emergency vehicle. It was no better than in the house. Not a single word was spoken, and Souko continued to weep. The atmosphere was tense enough to slice with a butcher knife.

They made it to the hospital. Within seconds, Utau was placed on a stretcher and carried into a room with nurses and doctors following suit. The family sat in the waiting room, missing their dinner reservations that couldn't matter less.

A man with a stethoscope walked out of the room. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead. "You're Mr. Tsukiyomi?"

Aruto gulped and prayed for good news. "Yes, sir."

The doctor took a deep breath and brightened his expression. "Your daughter has no major injuries. It's safe to say that she will be okay."

Aruto ran a hand down his face and sighed in relief. He felt as if a thousand bricks had been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you."

"I hope it is no trouble but she will have to stay here for the next couple days, just to recover."

"That's fine," he replied quietly, "we're just glad she's okay."

"Okay. You are welcome to visit any time, even right now." He gave a reassuring smile.

Aruto and Souko hurried into her room, desperate to check on her.

Ikuto couldn't bear to join his parents, terrified of seeing his little sister connected to a bunch of wires and breathing through a mask. Rather than sitting cluelessly in the waiting room, he decided to go for a walk to get some fresh air. He found a vending machine down the hall. As he walked back, coke in hand, he watched a nurse enter one of the rooms. While the door swung open, he caught a glimpse of pink. What if it was the girl from the carnival?

He shook his head. It must have been his imagination.

:..:..:..:..:

"Hey sis." He sat in a chair beside her bed. The room was chilly and the machines beeped constantly, which he had to admit got pretty annoying after a while. Hospitals always gave him a creepy feeling.

Utau smiled weakly, recognising her brother. "Hi."

He observed the young girl sprawled in blankets. There were bruises down her arms and she had a bandage around her head. It made him sick in the stomach to see her in such a state; tired face, dull hair and pale lips. "How are you?"

She stretched her body and yawned. "The doctors say I'm alright, but I feel terrible."

He wasn't sure whether she was serious or trying to be funny but he chuckled nonetheless. "You'll get better soon."

She sighed. "I hope so."

The lack of spirit in his sister tore a piece of his heart away. He held her hand. "Don't worry. You'll be up and stealing my phone again in no time."

"I'm glad you came here, Ikuto." She giggled and rubbed his hand against her cheek.

Ikuto noticed nurses filing into the room to prepare their daily rounds. He stood up. "I better go now."

"Will you see me again?" She asked.

"Of course." He smiled at her before leaving the room.

As he walked away, he noticed an open room, and lying on the bed was a girl with pink hair. His eyes widened. She looked a lot like the girl from the carnival. He slowly entered, trying to be a quiet as a mouse so nobody would notice him.

An old doctor stood in the way. "What are you doing?"

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I just wanted to say hi."

"Well you can't." He pushed him outside and grumpily said, "She's not allowed visitors."

Ikuto started walking to the exit but froze when he caught sight of the help desk. There was no harm in asking about it. If he could just learn her name; he would be at ease. He went to the lady behind the counter.

"Hello." She gave him a friendly smile. "What can I do for you today?"

"I would like to see a patient here... But apparently she isn't allowed visitors," he said and gazed at the woman sadly.

"Isn't allowed visitors?" She sounded surprised. "What's her name?"

His shoes suddenly became very interesting to look at. "Uh... I don't know."

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Do you remember what room she was in?"

"Room 30," he told her.

The woman searched the database on her computer before pursing her lips. "Oh. I'm sorry, boy. She really isn't allowed visitors."

"Can I know her name?" He asked. Maybe he could learn more about her, or see her when she was released.

She shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't, sorry."

"Oh... Thanks anyway." He left the hospital with his shoulders slouched. There was nothing more he could do. He felt like all of his hope was lost.

:..:..:..:..:

Utau was ready to go home. Everyone got in the car as soon as they heard the news. A celebration cake was already prepared for when she got home.

As Ikuto walked into the hospital, he saw the same lady at the help desk. She glanced at him and her eyes widened.

"Hey!" She shouted, "Come here!"

Ikuto let his parents go ahead and walked to the counter, curiousity filling his mind.

"There was a meeting between the staff. People are now allowed to enter room 30 during visiting hours," she said with a smile on her face.

After discussing available times with the lady, he figured out that the only days he could come to the hospital were Tuesdays and Thursdays. It would be after school too, but he didn't mind at all. He wanted to see her. He wanted to see the girl with the bright smile.

:..:..:..:..:

Ikuto knocked on the door. After no answer he just turned the handle and walked in.

There was a girl sitting on the hospital bed. She was looking out the window with her blanket up to her thighs. There was no mistake that she was the same pink-haired girl from new years. She heard footsteps and saw him. Even though a smile grew on her face, the little light in her eyes had died down.

"I haven't gotten a lot of visitors," she mumbled, "people must have forgotten me."

His eyes widened. "Has your family visited you?"

"No." She pursed her lips. "But it's okay, they must be busy since they work a lot."

He felt drawn to her, like he was locked into a sacred contract and the key was thrown away. It was almost as if an invisible chain pulled him closer and closer until he sat in the chair beside her bed. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she said and lifted her wrist. There were no wires or drips connected to her, not even a breathing mask.

He was confused. "Then why are you in a hospital?"

"I don't know." She looked out the window. "But I like it here."

They were going nowhere with the current questions so he decided to take a different approach. "What do you like to do for fun?"

The corners of her lips curled. "I like to talk to the nurses and doctors. They're lovely people."

The flow of her words were genuine. He realised that she had a kind heart. It felt nice to sit down with her. He liked the way she spoke softly and how innocent she sounded. It was something different. He wasn't used to a gentle soul, but that only made him like it more.

"You know what I'd really like to do?"

"What?"

"I want to make one hundred paper flowers," she said and tucked loose hair behind her ear.

"That's a bit absurd." He scoffed.

She frowned at him with puppy eyes, hurt that he would even make fun of her request.

"I mean... It's a pretty cool idea, if you ask me," he corrected. There was no way he could resist her angelic expression.

A pout formed on her rosy lips. "The suckish thing is that there's no paper here."

"This is a hospital. I'm sure they have plenty of paper," he said.

She shook her head. "I asked the nurses and there's none available for me. I guess I wouldn't want to waste their paper either."

"I'll get you some paper," he said.

"Really?"

It was like she looked at him for the first time, truly acknowledging his presence. He wanted more of that. He wanted to make her smile bright enough to make the stars jealous. "Sure."

Her face flushed with joy and her eyes sparkled with life. There was no way she could hold in her smile, so she let it bloom like a flower in spring. It reminded him of the girl he saw at new years. His heart pumped a little faster.

"Thank you so _so_ much - um, what's your name?" She leaned closer to him, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath. It didn't seem to bother her.

It took the strength of an army to fight back a nosebleed. "It's Ikuto."

"That's a strange name." She giggled and relaxed back into her pillows.

He bit back a smile, trying to play it cool. Her laugh was cute. He was going to fall off his chair if he didn't control himself. "What's yours?"

"Amu."

:..:..:..:..:

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	2. Chapter 2

**:..: Chapter 2 :..:**

It was a perfect-ish day. The sun radiated with bursts of warmth. Birds were chirping. Not a single cloud could be spotted in the sky. He took long strides across the sidewalk, anticipating his visit with the strikingly mysterious girl.

The very moment she laid eyes upon the stack of paper in his bag was truly spectacular. He would never forget the way her smooth lips parted in awe. The way she squealed. The way her eyes widened, glimmering with gold. She plopped them in her lap. "Wow, you actually did it," she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It was no big deal," he admitted. It was for her. He didn't want her to believe that she caused him any effort. Be cool, he told himself. It was unfair being the only victim under a mesmerizing spell when she still hadn't taken any interest. None that he knew of, anyway. He yearned for the small girl to want his attention like he desired hers.

She gingerly picked up a sheet of paper. How was it made again? It had been a while since she had last folded one. Like, last year. She started to fold, praying that her memory didn't fail her.

He couldn't help but notice her focused expression. So cute. A little crease formed in between her eyebrows. Frustration, probably. It was only when she stopped and stared blankly that he realised she was stuck. "Here, I'll show you."

She gaped at his creative skills. He folded it like he knew it off by heart. Her eyes grew big, amazed. "How do you know how to do that?"

"I have a little sister," he said, concentrating on the origami with a little tongue poking out.

She snagged another paper, attempting to imitate his actions. After a moment, she asked, "Is she nice?"

He snorted. Utau was a little devil, but to mention that would be mean. "She is when she wants to be."

She giggled. "Tell me about her."

His chest warmed. She seemed curious to learn about him - or at least his family. "Well, she's 15. She has the longest hair in the world, I swear. There's always hair all over the bathroom counter and she never cleans it up," he ranted. Soon, his voice softened. "Even so, she always knows how to cheer me up when I'm sad. One time, she broke her own piggy bank to buy me a stuffed panda when my cat passed away."

Amu smiled. "She sounds like a good sister."

He sighed, grateful for a decent sibling. "Yeah, she is."

They talked on the topic of family. Ikuto learned that her parents worked double shifts at a major newspaper agency. Such busy people. Her father was a photographer and her mother wrote articles. He wondered what it would be like to meet them. They must have been nice people to conceive such a wonderful daughter, but he was curious about why they never visited.

A nurse poked through the doorway. "Visiting hours are over," she informed.

It took all of his might to play it cool and leave as if it was as easy as breathing. Oh, how he wanted to stay. She was finally opening up. But to his knowledge, an eager attitude would turn any girl off. He stood up and positioned his bag over his shoulder. Carrying his feet towards the exit, he said, "It was nice getting to know you."

"Ikuto," she called out from behind.

He shot his head around - maybe a little too quickly. Oh well. All of his attention rested on the pink-haired girl, awaiting her next move. His stomach flipped. "Yeah?"

She tilted her head ever so slightly. "Will you come back and help me?"

He gulped, his heart leaping hurdles. It was becoming near impossible to stay collected. She was too cute, asking him to come back and all. "Um, how many have we made already?"

She spent a moment to count the flowers sprawled across her hospital sheets. "Eleven."

He laughed, figuring it would take a while for her to finish it all by herself. Of course he'd return. There wasn't even a choice; she pulled him towards her, roughly. An imaginary rope tugged at his heart, dragging him along a rollercoaster ride of emotions and giving him that gut-dropping feeling - just without a fall. Scratch that. He was probably falling. It wasn't like he minded, anyway. "Okay. I'll be back, promise."

Her lips curved softly as she waved goodbye. She felt happy. There was somebody in the world who cared - who gave her a promise. She was sure he would keep it. However, she couldn't fathom why. Maybe it was the heavy passion of his voice, or maybe it was her womanly instincts. Whatever it was, she knew he would visit again.

:..:..:..:..:

Ikuto treaded into her room just after school. He noticed how Amu's hair was in a ponytail that particular Tuesday. After brief eye contact, she leaned over the edge of her bed to grab some paper. He noticed, with rough calculations, that there was about the same amount of flowers as last time. He asked, "Didn't you make any while I was gone?"

She shook her head. "I felt like this was something we should do together."

His breath quickened. He couldn't argue with that, content with her sound of _together_. "We better get started, then."

The two teenagers were finally getting used to the extensive folding sequence. The process of making a paper flower wasn't short, but it was worthwhile. They looked exquisite. 100 flowers in a pile would surely look even better.

He decided to pick up a conversation. "So, what kind of hobbies do you have?"

"I like to draw," she admitted. Although, it had been a while since her last doodling session.

He nodded his head, jutting out his bottom lip in approval. She was the artsy kind. "Nice."

She glanced at him for a split second. "What about you?"

"I play the violin," he confessed. There was more to tell, but he didn't want to seem egotistic.

"Really!?" She paused from her handiwork, eyes filled with awe to the very brim.

He made her excited, which excited him. His heart fluttered. "Yeah."

She bashfully returned to her origami, holding back a smile. "You'll have to play for me sometime."

"We'll see about that," he jeered with a smirk on his lips. They managed in silence, which he eventually broke when he asked, "What's your favorite animal?"

"A monkey." A smile arose on her features. "I went to the zoo with my mother when I was 8. We laughed at the monkeys. They were so funny!"

His heart thumped. She was so enthusiastic that he could even feel it. God, he was captivated. He drank her company like a selfish alcoholic, enjoying every second of her cheerful state.

"What's yours, Ikuto?" She asked, gawking at him closely with her shiny amber eyes. Almost too close. She propped herself up, hands pressed to the bed.

It was up most difficult for him to look away. Therefore, he didn't. Never taking an eye off her, he answered, "A cat."

She covered her mouth, giggling. "I can see the resemblance."

He raised his eyebrows, urging for an explanation. "What - how?"

She sheepishly fondled with a pool of sheets in her lap, purposely avoiding eye contact. "Well, you're so mysterious... and sly."

"Oh really," he mused, veering closer. It amused him - she had the decency to call him mysterious. How ironic. Only if she knew how much of a puzzle she was.

He could tell that he invaded her personal bubble by the way she flashed her eyes upon him and flinched - only slightly, but he noticed. He definitely did. He noticed nearly everything about her in the most un-creepy way possible.

But for some reason neither parties moved away. Perhaps anticipating; expecting one to make a move. What kind of move? It didn't matter. He would accept just about anything, while her intention was just a plain mystery.

There was no way to measure the rate of his heartbeat. Unreal. It zoomed like a race car. He admired her little button nose and petite jaw frame, unbeknownst to their closing distance. How innocent. It was like the world around them disappeared to oblivion. There was only two. Deaf to all but the rapid pull of lungs.

Their lips were mere inches apart. Maybe if he was a little faster he would've scored first base. Maybe. The seconds broke into slow motion, and like a ripped piece of paper, the heated moment tore apart.

A nurse intervened by swinging the door open. Visiting hours were over. He left, flabbergasted by the turn of events, and thought about it under the covers of his bed.

Damn. He was so close. It was the wrong timing, anyway. They had only just met. He would only allow himself to kiss her when he was certain of her feelings - if there were any.

_Why when she had feelings?_

He wasn't sure.

_Did he have feelings?_

Maybe.

_What were they?_

It was confusing, but he came to the conclusion that what he felt for her was attraction. That was all... But he wanted her to feel it too.

They had 21 paper flowers.

:..:..:..:..:

Ikuto watched his breath draw from his lips like smoke. He shivered. His massive coat really wasn't enough to keep him warm. Mother nature had the bright idea to spread a thick blanket of pure frozen-y goodness. There was one advantage; school was canceled. It meant he could visit earlier than normal.

Thank god for a heated hospital. He advanced to Amu's room, planning on surprising her, but when he walked in and saw a drained look on her face he appoached differently. Quietly.

She sat up, mutely watching him like a ghost. Her eyes were blank, and her voice was as gentle as the wind. "You still came?"

If it wasn't for his excellent hearing, he wouldn't have been able to pick up her words. "Yeah." He raised a brow. "Why not?"

"Nothing," she murmured, slowly retrieving paper from her bedside drawer.

He noticed it as soon as he came, but now he was certain. Something was off about her. She wasn't smiling. There was no energy in her face, no glisten in her eyes and no life in her tone. It worried him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She rubbed up and down her arm. "It's just kinda cold."

Her skin was decorated with goose bumps. He took his coat and draped it over her back. She was tiny. It fixed on her like a dress. He sighed and took a seat. "It's what happens when it snows."

They began folding flowers. She was unusually quiet that day. Was it him? Was she acting strange because of their close call? It concerned him, but he didn't want to cause a scene. Too dangerous. If she wanted to talk, she would.

"Snow brings me bad memories," she blurted out of mid-air, taking deep breaths as if she had held back her words.

His face softened. The fact that she was finally speaking - and that he wasn't the problem - relieved him. "What happened?"

She closed her eyes, reminiscing. "I went to a snow resort when I was 12. Like the smart girl I was, I got lost." She paused, a frown resting on her lips as she changed her tone of voice. "It took dreadful hours for my parents to find me. I was all alone, weeping beside a tall pine tree. It was so scary."

"Oh..." He was unsure what to say, and it frustrated him. There was nothing he could do.

Hair fell in front of her eyes, cloaking her emotions. She didn't look very talkative and he was as useless as a white crayon. They folded paper flowers in silence.

He didn't like it. Why was she so blue? He wanted to see her happy; to chat with the same cheerful girl who entranced him. His heart ached. To see her in this kind of state made him feel worthless. There had to be a way. He didn't know how, but he was determined to solace her.

They had 35 paper flowers.

:..:..:..:..:

**Share your thoughts! Did you like it, love it or hate it? Please review - it's greatly appreciated.**


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